ICT applications perceived as of major importance for the life of citizens

Definition

Applications of ICTs which are perceived by users as being of major importance for their life. Items sorted according to the following seven spheres of ICT applications:

Communicate (social interaction);

Perceive information (one-to-many);

Find information;

Take care of personal business, transactions and requests for assistance;

Entertainment;

Generate and distribute own content;

Participate in policy-making and public life;

Employment-related activities

Unit of observation

Total population.

Reporting unit

All Internet users

Operationalisation

Survey question, as piloted in TRANSFORM: “How important would you say are the different possible uses of the Internet for your private life?

To communicate (via e-mails, chat or instant message) with people located in the same region

To communicate (via e-mails, chat or instant message) with people located outside of the region but inside your country.

To communicate (via e-mails, chat or instant message) with people located abroad.

To play online games.

To buy or order goods and services – in general.

To find information about goods or services which you consider buying at shops in your region: or city.

To use your bank’s online services.

For educational and learning purposes.

To look for news about your region, city or neighbourhood.

To obtain information about events in your region, city or neighbourhood.

To find information about health issues in general.

To find information about health and medical care services in your region, city or neighbourhood.

To look for career related information (jobs, information related to your work) in general.

To look for career related information from your region, city or neighbourhood.

To work at home.

(10-point scale with 1 = essential, and 10 = not important at all)

Complementary indicators

Applications of ICTs which are perceived by workers as being of major importance for their ability to carry out their job

Relation to existing indicators

The Eurostat model questionnaire include a long list of online activities, about which it asls respondents whether they have done them in the reference period. The present indicator differs in that it asks for the perceived importance of an online activity for private/work life.

Methodological issues concerning application of the indicator

More research is needed in order to explore cross-cultural issues in benchmarking perceived importance of activities.